Academic Catalog

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Online & Education Innovation2017-2018

Personalized Learning

Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Arts

A student majoring in Liberal Arts through Personalized Learning will study broadly from history, philosophy, literature and the arts. The student will learn how to analyze, interpret and evaluate important cultural artifacts of diverse cultures. This is a fresh, contemporary take on Liberal Arts in that each exercise in understanding important works of art and letters is immediately connected to relevant skills.

Careers

What Can I Do with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts?

Core competencies for this degree are based on the qualities that employers value most and look for in leaders, including critical thinking and collaborative communication skills. Students in this program study broadly from history, philosophy, literature and the arts.

Career opportunities that might be pursued:

Public Relations

Editing/Writing

Arts Critic

Sales and Management

With further education, one of these paths is possible:

Attorney

Secondary Teacher

Counselor

Librarian

University Requirements

To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

All of Northern Arizona University's requirements.

All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).

At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.

At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.

A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

Overview

Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your faculty mentor for details.

8 competencies of liberal studies equaling 35 units of coursework. These competencies can also be satisfied with the transfer of an AGEC.

16 competencies in modern language courses equaling 16 units of NAU language courses. SPAN 102, SPAN 103, SPAN 202, SPAN 203, are available through Personalized Learning; other modern languages may be accepted through test or transfer credit.

The mission of Personalized Learning’s Liberal Arts Bachelor degree program is to provide adult and self-motivated learners an opportunity to study broadly from history, philosophy, literature, and the arts by providing students exposure to a vast array of texts integrated into interdisciplinary units in order to give students a broader understanding of the interrelationship of concepts and ideas from varying disciplinary subjects. As well, our degree program seeks to offer students an affordable, self-paced learning environment that honors previous knowledge and real world experiences.

Student Learning Outcomes

Liberal Arts Personalized Learning Graduates will be able to:

Work in a team structure: Engage in effective group communication building on Group Dynamics and theories in intercultural communication

Communicate with diverse populations: Demonstrate the difference between analysis, interpretation, and evaluation

Write about culture effectively and Compose academic essays in various rhetorical styles: Write clear summaries, position papers, reports, research papers, and annotated bibliographies

Demonstrate knowledge of potential and limitations of technology’s advances: Differentiate, evaluate, and apply theories concerning technological advances and their impact on society

Practice an examined or self-reflective life: Examine and explain the importance of literature, film, media, and art on understanding human nature.

Describe ethical theories: Differentiate between ethics and morality, and analyze ethics and morality from both religious and political perspectives

Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of the humanities: Examine and compare theories of subjectivity, personal identify, and human nature in the humanities

Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of the social sciences: Examine and compare the history and impacts of the penal and legal systems in the U.S. and Asia, paying particular attention upon their impacts on political and religious life

Demonstrate an effective transfer of competencies to the workplace: Develop research approaches for case studies, and develop approaches to effective workplace communication.

Details

Additional Admission Requirements

Admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

Admission requirements to Personalized Learning include NAU's undergraduate admission standards as well as the completion of a Readiness Assessment. Prior to admission to the University, a Personalized Learning admission specialist guides prospective students through a series of steps to determine admissibility, applicable prior credit, preparedness via the Readiness Assessment, and degree selection. After these steps are complete, admissible students are directed to complete an account information form. This form replaces the traditional NAU application.

Students may demonstrate competency through performance on pre-tests. Some courses may have departmental prerequisites required by students in other majors. Any prerequisites not fulfilled with transfer credit may be met by successfully completing a pretest; however, credit will not be granted for the completion.

This degree is offered only through the Personalized Learning program. Work with a faculty mentor for any questions regarding the applicability of coursework completed through Personalized Learning to any other plan of study at NAU.

Major Requirements

Personalized Learning Competencies for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts

Completion of these competencies will result in the awarding of credit for NAU classes.

C.1 Work in a team structureC.2 Communicate with diverse populationsC.3 Solve complex problemsC.4 Analyze complicated materialsC.5 Write about culture effectivelyC.6 Compose academic essays in various rhetorical stylesC.7 Demonstrate knowledge of potential and limitations of technology's advancesC.8 Practice an examined or self-reflective lifeC.9 Describe ethical theoriesC.10 Apply ethical theories to educationC.11 Formulate and substantiate thesesC.12 Formulate and test hypotheses in humanities and social scienceC.13 Demonstrate knowledge of leadership in the working of organizationsC.14 Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of the humanitiesC.15 Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of the social sciencesC.16 Demonstrate effective transfer of competencies to workplace

Foreign Language Requirement

General Electives

Additional coursework is required, if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you. (Please note that you may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.)

Additional Information

Any prerequisites not fulfilled with transfer credit may be met by successfully completing a pretest; however, credit will not be granted for that completion.